Punch setting and release pliers



@1130, 1957' P. FROHLICH PUNCH SETTING AND RELEASE PLIERS Filed April 12, 1955 Wye/7 7 0/" United States Patent G 2,800,815 PUNCH SETTING AND RELEASE PLIERS- Paul Frolilich, Toledo, Ghio Application April 12, 1955, Serial No. 500,757

7 Claims. c1. 81-3) This invention relates to multi-control actuation 'features in a one-hand tool.

This invention has utility when incorporated in a plier type of hand tool to operate a ball clutch for the removal or resetting of a punch in a die block. 7

It is an object of this invention to produce a simple, efiicient, effective, economic and fast operating too l for removing punch dies from die blocks by means of one hand instead of using two hands as has previously been required, that is, using one for releasing the catch for the punch and the other for pulling out the punch.

Another object is to produce such a tool which is adjustable and adaptable for different types and/ or sizes of punches mounted in die blocks, all of which are held in place by a spring actuated ball type clutch cooperating with a slot in the side of said punches.

Another object is to produce such a tool which may readily be employed on standard types of pliers and operate together with said pliers for pulling out and resetting punches in die blocks.

Still another object is to provide such a tool which will maintain the ball clutches for retaining punches in die blocks disengaged during the entire removal of the punches.

The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them are given more specific disclosure in the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary, somewhat diagrammatic, showing of a punch-equipped press, with a hand tool embodiment of the invention approaching work position therewith;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of part of a pair of pliers showing one embodiment of an attachable mounting for the ball clutch releasing or operating pin of the tool of this invention with parts thereof broken away;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line III-III, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the spring mounting clip to hold the adjustable barrel for the ball clutch operating pin;

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged side view of a pair of pliers with parts broken away incorporating another embodi ment of the ball clutch operating pin mechanism of this invention in cooperation with a punch to be removed from a die plate, said die plate being shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a view from the line V--V, Fig. 4, showing the general relation of the pin and its supporting operator housing with respect to the closed jaws of the plier of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a left side view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 with the ball clutch operating chamber, the punch, its seat and part of the pliers being shown in section, and the tool of this invention being shown in punch removing position with the ball clutch for the punch in its punch disengaged position.

Machine tool frame 1 has table 2 and upwardly therefrom platen or holder 3 shown with screw means 4 assembling die block 5 having projecting downwardly therefrom press effective tools or punches 6. .The holder 3 is reciprocable through a crank or eccentric by the rotation of a drive shaft 7. The block 5 includes a back plate 8 with screws 9 (see Fig. 4) coacting for locating the plate 8 to form the bottom of seats 10 for the punches 6. At an angle to the seats 10, opening thereinto and extending to the plate 8 are ways 11 (see Fig. 6) directed to register with key-ways or ball clutch seats 12 in the punches 6. In each of the ways 11 is a compressible helical spring 13 effective to thrust a clutch ball 14 into register engagement with the seat 12 of the punch 6. In machine tool operation there is occasion for replacing damaged or worn tools, here shown as punches 6. Speed in carrying out this operation is an important factor in production costs.

The hand tool of this invention comprises a pair of pliers with handle portions 15 with pivotal connection 16, and 'therebeyond a pair of opposing jaws 17 provided with ribbed opposing grip faces 18. The jaws have an offset 19 (see Fig. 6).

On a flat side 20 of a handle portion 15 and toward the pivot from the grip portion of the handle, there is in the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 3 an anchor or weld 21 fixing a split ring type of spring clip 22 having spread free ends 23. Flat side portions 24 of an otherwise generally cylindrical barrel or guide 25 are toward the handle as the pair of wings 22 of the clip are snapped into seat 26, or 27 of the barrel 25. Axially from one end of the barrel 25 there extends a pin 28 through a guide port 29. The end of the pin or stem 28 inwardly of the port 29 carries a head or enlargement 30 in a chamber 31 against which a compression helical spring 32 pushes to urge the pin 28 from the barrel 25. A screw or nut 33 may adjust the compression of the spring 32 in the chamber 31.

Laterally of the seat 10 in die block 5 there is a port 34 parallel to the ams of the seat 10 and leading directly to the way 11 at the region of the seated ball 14. This means as the operator brings the hand tool (Fig. 1) as in one-hand 35 to direct the tip end of the pin 28 to enter the port 34, the handle grips 15 as engaged by the hand 35 may open the jaws 17 sufiiciently for such to ride about the punch 6. The initial direction of the closed jaws (Fig. 4) is not in direct alignment with the punch, but as the jaws are opened, there is practical alignment. The pin 28, in passing into the port 34 and striking the ball 14, shifts the ball 14 to compress the spring 13, as the spring 32 on the pliers is much stronger than spring 13, and thereafter the spring 32 must be compressed before the jaws 17 have their face portions 18 firmly engage the punch 6. With the punch released by pin 28 unclutching the action at the ball 14, there is possible a retrieving of punch 6 since the decompression of the spring 32 permits an increase in the spacing between the punch 6 and its mounting block 5 (that is, as the hand tool is pulled out with the punch) without releasing the ball clutch 14.

In lieu of the barrel guide 25, there may be a block guide 36 attached by screw 37 (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) extending through a selected hole 38 at the handle flat region 20 for threaded engagement in a seat 39 of the block 36. The punch 6 usually may be inserted without use of the tool of this invention in view of the fact that the ball clutch 14 is at such an angle with respect to the movement of inserting the punch 6 so as to permit its automatic disengagement by the seating end of the punch 6 and thereafter its automatic engagement in the slot or seat 12 in the punch after the punch has been completely seated in the block 5.

While there is described above the principles of this invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that thisdescription ismade only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of this invention.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters ,Patentis:

. 1. A two lever type of one hand tool comprisingf two levers with a pivotal connection between them, a guide means being attached to one of said levers a pin slidably mounted in said guide means. and extending from said guide means beyond the end of said two levers,tand a means associated with said guide means for normally urging said pin to extend therefrom.

a 2. A tool according to claim lincludin g means for adjusting said guide means along said lever to whichit is ,mounted. a

3. A tool'according to claim 1 including means for removably mountingsaid guide means on said lever.

4. A tool according to claim 1 wherein said means for normally urging said pin to extend from said guide means comprises a spring. A p

5. A tool-according to claim 4' wherein said guide means comprises a chamber and said pin has a head slidably movable in said chamber and said spring is a compression spring mounted in said chamber to operate against said head of said pin.

6. A tool comprising a pair of pliers having jaws at I 4 7 one end," a chamber mounted on said pliers, a slidable pin extending from said chamber beyond the jaw end of said pliers, and a spring in said chamber normally urging said pin to extend from said chamber.

7. In one hand tool for removing spring ball clutch engaging slipped in punches mounted in seats in die blocks and having pin ports for release of their ball clutches for the removal of said punches, said tool comprising: a pair of pliers having jaws; a chamber mounted on said pliers; a slidable pin extending from said chamber beyond the jaws of said pliers; and a spring in said chamber acting on said pin and being stronger than the spring of said ball clutch engaging said punch, whereby said pin is inserted in said pin port until both said springs are compressed and then said pliers are operated to clamp the punch, after which the punch is pulled out by the pliers while the stronger spring acting against said pin holds the ball clutch disengaged from said punch until said punch is fully removedfrom its seat in said die block.

1,490,019 2,215,015 Richard Sept. -17, 1940 2,413,944 Bolduc Ian. 7, 1947 

